Last stand
by 78meg9
Summary: The war against Gaea is raging. Sadly, our favorite hero doesn't make it. But maybe, the doors of death will be a valuable tool...
1. The prolouge

**Why hello. Nice To finally get around to editing this poor chapter. If there is anything else I should change, please tell me in a review. Also I, 78meg9, do not own PJO, (Sadly) Notice: This story contains possible OOCness, and spoilers for the Lost Hero and neglect of the Son of Neptune**

"Annabeth get out!" Percy screamed. "Everyone else is already safe, I have to do this alone!"

"No! I'm not leaving you! You know what happened last time, you might not be so lucky again! Annabeth shouted back.

"But your not going to take this chance with me. Go!" Percy yelled, pushing her out off the cliff side where they were fighting the giant Leon, and to the waiting Argo II below

"NO, Percy-" Annabeth started, but it was to late. She was free falling to Jason, who rose to catch her. Upon landing safely on the ship, the Argo II turned and drifted away from the point where Percy might make his last stand. About a mile away, an explosion shook the world.

"PERCY! NO!" Annabeth screamed, shaking."No! Oh no, please no!", Annabeth cried out, falling to her knees. "I should have stayed, I should of helped him! There is no way he could of survived this one. It's my fault."

"It's not your fault! And if you stayed, you would be gone to! Piper said kneeling down. Annabeth kept muttering and cursing, blaming herself. "Annabeth! It's not your fault! listen! Piper grabbed her shoulders, shaking them. "You couldn't of done anything except get yourself killed!"

Annabeth resigned, putting her head on Piper's shoulders and cried her heart out. The other seven half-bloods that have gathered around them released their tears as well, remembering what a great friend Percy was, even if they only knew him for a short time. Eventually they all wisely drifted away, leaving as sobbing Annabeth, and a crying Piper.


	2. The Underworld

The underworld was just as Percy remembered it. Cold and dark. Except now, there was no spirits waiting in the line for judgment, there hadn't been any souls in the waiting room ether. He was starting to freak out. It was one thing to be _dead _in the underworld, but another if your _dead _and _alone_.

It's just a test, Percy thought. Once I pass, there will be souls and, at the very least, Charon. That was odd too. Charon, who usually stayed in the waiting room, and ferried spirits across the Styx, was no where to be seen. Percy had to row himself across the dreaded river.

Upon coming close to the banner for judgment (which he choose over standing in a wheat field forever!) , Percy heard a someone, er, some soul behind him.

"Hello Percy. Good to see you. I've been waiting" came from a voice, none other than Bianca Di Angelo.


	3. Bianca reviels part of my fate

"Bianca!" I shouted. For as second, all my worries were forgotten. Bianca laughed and said "Nice to see you, though this was not the idle time to die." I was suddenly aware of my previous thoughts, "what do you mean? And where is everyone?" Bianca stopped laughing and became, well, deadly serious. "you have to follow me. And quickly.". She then turn and sprinted off toward the Asphodel fields.

I had to put a lot of effort in keeping up with her. You see, now that I was just a soul, my feet were a couple inches off the ground. Essentially, I was floating. To go backward left and right, you leaned in that direction. But to forwards, you must move your feet as if walking, but be thinking of how fast you want to go. speed was easy, the walking part was hard, considering I was floating. After a while, Bianca seemed to notice I was struggling. And stopped to help.

"Move your left foot as if your walking on stairs, follow with your right, but don't let yourself float. Don't worry. You'll get it eventually. For now try thinking about standing on the ground" I followed her advice, and found myself waist high in the ground. "no not _sink._ Stand! Like so" she floated on to the ground. Imagined myself standing next to her. When I opened my eyes, I was out of the ground. "I hate being a ghost!" I groaned.

"You won't be, for long." Bianca said. "WHAT?" I shouted in excitement. "The fates needed you for a special purpose this time. That involved dying. But now that your dead, you have a important job. If you succeed, there will be a chance to live again."


	4. Elysium

I had a million questions to ask, but Bianca was off again. I tried by best to keep up with her, but I eventually had to look down to walk right. When I looked up again, Bianca was no longer to be seen. Oh great, I thought, I lost my only guide through the underworld!. After calling her name a few times, I decided to keep walking. After five or so minutes, I reached the gates of Elysium.

I was happy because, well I reached the GATES OF ELYSIUM! But, sad because of all the spirits of my friends I might see, who don't have the same chance as me to live again. They also don't have to go through a perilous quest either, I thought. "no, don't think that way!" I said out loud. Great, does being dead mean you talk to yourself too?

I finally decided to walk through the gates. ( because I am a ghost, who needs to open them?) and was shocked by what I saw. No, the ghosts were not the surprising part. I had always heard Elysium was paradise, but it was a whole different thing to be seeing it for yourself. Think of all the things you love, material of course, and make it 10 times grander, put it into a much grander place then anything you have ever seen, and that doesn't even come close to the sheer grandness of Elysium.

After I stood there gawking for a good five minutes, I went about trying to find something familiar. But this place was huge! I could never find anything here.

As soon as I thought that, none other then my enemy-turned-friend showed up behind , startling me. "Luke!" I shouted. "long time, no see, Percy".

"it's only been a year or so. Did you know the next great prophesy has started?" I asked. In response, he turned and pointed to the faces of the deceased. What should have been ever present smiles, were replaced with sad looks. "If you haven't noticed, the underworld has changed. We all celebrated the end of the Titan war. Unfortunately, as soon as peace came, it was ripped away."

"oh...what happened down here? Where are all the souls?" I asked. "They fled. The upcoming war is great. Something that hasn't been encountered for eons. Only the bravest stayed." Replied a new voice. "Becondorf!" I all but shouted. "Percy, I hope you don't still blame yourself for my death.".

"No I don't, not not more." I said, smiling. "Well, that's good! Did Luke tell you about our plan?" "Plan?" I asked. " I'll take that as a no. As I said, just the bravest stayed. The souls from the fields of punishment and any monster that hasn't reformed yet are preparing to attack."

Can they do that? I wondered. But if Gaia can awake and there is a roman camp, certainly the whole of damned souls and monsters can attack the underworld. "While we fight them off, you, Luke, and another acquittance will make your way back to the living." Becondorf continued. "Luke will be coming because he tried for rebirth shortly before this new found threat appeared. And you will met the third person shortly after you begin this quest."

"I hope you want me along Percy" Luke said. "Of course! I definitely need someone who knows the underworld. I've only been here three times. Not counting now." I said "Great! Now we must get started. It is a long way to the living world."


	5. On to Tarturos we go!

Luke and I made our way back to the entrance gates. We past many souls, some I recognized from the battle against Kronos, and others I have never seen before. I was becoming rather curious as to who this acquaintance would be. I continued to look at the passing faces, but the adhd part of my brain kept wondering, who would it be? Living or dead? And where did Bianca disappear to? "Here we are!" Luke exclaimed, startling me out of my thoughts. "Why so cheery? I said, right before I realized anyone given the chance to live again would be cheery. Luke didn't respond, and went to work opening the gates.

You see, the gates of Elysium were hard to open unless you knew how. There is a complicated set of gears, and switches, set up to keep those who don't belong in Elysium out. After Luke explained the complicated pattern to open the gates, (in which I pretended to follow) he demonstrated, opening the gates. Luke walked through, while I looked around one last time. It's not everyday you leave Elysium. After getting a good picture for memory, I joined an impatient Luke through the gate.

We made our way through the field of Asphodel and came once again to the pavilion of judgment. "We are going to wait here for our other acquittance" Luke explained. "Why don't you say they're name?" I questioned. "Well, for one, I don't know whether they will be a girl or a boy. And two, I don't even now if they got the message." Luke replied. I was going to ask him about the message when on the other side of the Styx, two figures came into view. Luke frowned and mumbled something suspiciously like, "I was expecting one". As the figures came closer, I noticed them as a boy and a girl. I also realized I recognized them.

I yelled "Nico!" as Luke yelled "THALIA!". He seemed surprised to see her, as I was surprised to see both of them. We ran up to greet them. "Percy?" Thalia asked. Nico nodded grimly. I had no doubt he knew I died, being son of Hades and all. Apparently he hadn't told the others. "Yes, I died. Long story short, Polybotes didn't die peacefully. The rock my dad imprisoned him under kinda exploded. But guess what? I might get to live again!" Nico shock his head in disbelief. "You can't cheat death, Percy." "I can't, but it was the Fates plan. Unfortunately, that plan also involves a perilous journey. Words from, um, your sister." Nico eyes widen, "my sister? Where is she? Is she okay?". Before I could answer, Thalia who had listened carefully to my story, stated, "Annabeth is going to kill you." I stood shocked. How was Annabeth going to take this? Thalia was right, she is going to kill me!

"Thalia? Why are you here? We only sent for Nico, and stated specifically NO ONE else!". "Well, you see, Thalia arrived at camp, and decided to visit my cabin, without knocking!" Nico tried to explain. "I couldn't help it you were getting a skeleton summon! It was rather creepy, Why was it dressed up? With makeup?" Thalia asked. "Oh, sorry. Silena got to it before we were able to stop her" Luke explained. "Anyway, Thalia wouldn't let me go alone!" Nico exclaimed "Your my little cousin, there is no way you were going to the Evil pit without me."

"Evi- you mean Tartarus?" I asked, suddenly my happiness became despair. I knew the Giants couldn't be killed without Tartarus keeping them locked up. But he didn't realize how that was to be accomplished. "Sadly, yes. There is no other way around it. Now, Nico, where is the other entrance?" Luke said. "In my dad's palace basement." Nico responded. After years of dealing with Greek mythology in real life, I wasn't surprised. Why couldn't the pit of all evil be in Hades basement? "Well, onward, I suppose." I exclaimed. Our little band of heroes proceeded forward, to the basement of the god of the dead.


	6. We arrive

**Holy cow! I'm writing an author's note. The worlds ending! Nah, just kidding. I'm sorry for the long wait, but here's the next chapter! Isn't it grand? And for once, I'm putting a Disclaimer! Might of forgotten, once or twice...**

I've been to Hades' palace once before, and I wasn't eager to go again.

But Nico insisted it would be easier to enter Tanturous from Hades' basement

than the giant pit past the fields of Asphodel.

I ran, or rather floated, up to Nico.

I was about to ask him something about the progress of the Argo II, but he asked a question first.

"Did you see Bianca?"

I didn't know how to answer that one.

I decided to go with the truth, that she was guiding me but disappeared.

Nico got considerably paler.

"No, this is not good. Where were you when she disappeared?"

I really wanted to answer that, but since I wasn't paying attention,

I didn't know. Nico took my silence as his worst fear.

"The only explanation is that she was sucked into Tanturous,

it's become powerful enough to do so now. If you're close enough."

"why would it do that?" I asked. "If my hunch is right, perfect

bait for Hades. It appears he has tried to calm it himself. He probably

is being lured into a trap right now." Nico answered.

It seems our situation is getting worse by the second. Yay.

I fell back to where Thalia and Luke were having a rather awkward

conversation.

"So, your titan free?" Thalia asked to break the ice.

"Um, yeah. I see you decided to join the hunt." Luke responded.

"It appears so. Did you hear Percy and Annabeth got- (at this point

I jogged ahead, back up to Nico) I could do without my own awkward

conversation with Luke over Annabeth.

We trudged along, though the fields of Asphodel. Occasionally, I heard

Nico mutter to himself. Must be a son of Hades thing, I thought.

Luke and Thalia had stopped making conversation, and we now walked

in silence. That is, until shouts of rebellion came from the fields of punishment.

The monsters and damned souls were escaping. I almost forgot of our little

make shift army. But as soon as the first shouts of escape, they were joined by

all the heroes souls that decided to help again.

A good old fashioned battle against good and evil. This should end well. But Nico

brought me out of my thoughts, with a simple phrase every kid wants to here after a long car ride.

"We're here"


End file.
